There are many variations of stent tubes made from plastics such as polyethylene and other materials. Some have side holes or flaps and others do not. Some are straight, while others are curved, or have a pig-tail shape. These stent tubes are pushed forward, for placement within ducts or vessels in human bodies, by pusher catheters, along guide wires or along inner catheters, which are inserted into the human body. Systems have been developed for pulling back stents when the stents are pushed too far forward relative to the intended indwelling positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,624 discloses a delivery system having coupling means which ensures a connected condition between a stent and a pusher catheter. An end of a loop of a filament provided on the pusher catheter is inserted into a flap of the stent, and an inner catheter is inserted into the end of the loop.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,034,094 also discloses a delivery system having coupling means which ensures a connected condition between a stent and a pusher catheter. A loop of filament is connected to a pusher catheter, and threaded into a hole provided on the stent. Thereafter the loop is inserting into the pusher catheter, and locked by a locking member which is formed separately from the inner catheter. The connection is released by pulling the filament by the locking member or by a separate pulling member after the inner catheter is pulled out.
United States Patent Publication 2013/0303109 discloses a delivery system having coupling means, wherein a filament having a knot is tied to a radial hole formed in a pusher catheter. An inner catheter is inserted into the pusher catheter and the stent while the knot fits loosely in a catching hole in the wall of the stent. A distal end of the filament extends beyond the catching hole when viewed from the side of the pusher catheter.